written by Mrs Farasat

Lieutenant Syed Farasat Ali Shah was born in Peshawar in North West Frontier Province on 14 September, 1969. He received his primary education in Peshawar and did his matric in 1986 from FG Boys Public School, Peshawar.

His father Syed Akbar Ali Shah was an engineer in Kuwait. His mother died in 1972 when he was just two years old. His grandfather Syed Gul Abbas Shah, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, took the responsibility to look after his three grandsons. Farasat was the youngest among the three brothers. He was a very obedient child. When his grandfather was bedridden in the last days of his life, Farasat was in Risalpur on a flying course. He took the responsibility of taking care of his grandfather. Though there was a male nurse appointed, it was Farasat who would go to Peshawar every weekend and took care of his ailing grandfather from feeding to bathing. His maternal uncle, Syed Zafar Ali shah was a Commander in Pakistan Navy. He played an important role in his upbringing and induced in him immense love for the country.
After his father death, he joined Pakistan Navy as Junior Cadet in 1986. He got initial training for two years under exchange training scheme at Junior Cadet Battalion, Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, Abbotabad. He was in Sher Shah company. He successfully completed his training at JCB, and joined Pakistan Naval Academy from where he got commissioned in July, 1991.
He volunteered himself for aviation service, and upon selection proceeded to PAF Academy, Risalpur for basic flying course on MFI-17 (MASHAK) aircraft. After earning a pilot badge, he joined Fokker squadron at PNS Mehran in November, 1995. He went training on Fokker aircraft and qualified to fly as co-pilot. In January 1997, he was transferred to Atlantic squadron. He undergone a co-pilot conversion course on Atlantic aircraft, and was declared fit to fly as co-pilot.

Farasat Ali Shah was a man of admirable qualities. He was honest and straight forward in his dealings. He was jolly and was liked by everyone. He was very helpful, not just for relatives and friends but for others too. He was a man of principles and a dedicated officer. Once he took leave to attend the wedding of his brother, but was called back to duty just one day before the wedding. Farasat listened to call of duty and left for Karachi.

As a husband, I found him sincere, immensely loving, cooperative and well caring. He was like a friend to me and stood by me at all times.

He was very attached to his son, Syed Wameeq Ali Shah. He used to give him his love and attention in the best possible way. He lvoed to play with his kid. He desired to give him the best religious and worldly education. Wameeq still remembers each and every habit of his father and tries to copy him. Though he was just three years old at that time, but the entire personality of his father is fresh in his mind. A particular painful thing was to look at the swimming card of Wameeq shown at Indian television, which taken by them from the debris of Atlantic aircraft on that fateful day.

For my mother, Farasat was like her own son and he proved himself to be like that. He was very much involved in family affairs, and gave every member due respect and love. Therefore, he was favorite of everyone in the family and the place vacant by him is never to be filled. My mother was completely satisfied with his conduct. Farasat was a loving and caring son for her.

As a naval officer, he had the spirit in his heart to fulfill the oath he had taken to give his life for the country. Whenever he went for flying, he was always prepared for the worst. He used to bade me and our son Allah Hafiz. The night before he achieved this great honour of martyrdom, he told his son that he would bring back a flag of Pakistan to put on his bicycle for the 14 August celbrations. But the three years old did not know that his father would himself come back wrapped in the flag, which he always wanted to keep high.

God had chosen Farasat and his fifteen colleagues for the greatest honour, the martyrdom. It is desire of every Muslim to give his life for the cause of his country, his religion. Farasat Ali Shah has made his family, friends and the people of Pakistan proud of him and kept the Pakistani flag high even at the cost of his life. I, my son Wameeq and my family are indeed grateful to him for the honour he has brought to us.

January 01, 2001